Going Live? Tips to Get You Started with Live Streaming

For bloggers and
webmasters looking to extend their reach and drive audience figures, live
streaming is a terrific tool.

Being able to get your brand onto popular social
media platforms, via in-house live streaming techniques or third-party sites
can help increase your exposure and improve interaction. Whatever your niche,
from sports coverage to home renovation tips, live streaming is engaging and
allows you to interact directly with your existing audience, or newcomers to
your site.

Live streaming has been used in a multitude of
ways recently. NJ reports it has been used to
help anxious teens, whilst everything
from church services to zoo animals has found their way into people’s homes. If
you’re a blogger or webmaster looking to extend your reach, then there is a
market out there for you, if you can find it.

It’s also incredibly easy to get into, with a
few little pointers to get you started, you could be broadcasting live to your
audience in no time at all. Even if all you have right now is a basic social
media presence and a good idea, you could soon be welcoming new customers or
visitors into your world.

We’ve got a few handy things to consider before
you get started.

Where to Stream

There are several platforms you can stream on,
with much dependent on where you currently have a presence. A number of pop
stars have recently been streaming across a number of platforms, according to the BBC, with Instagram and Facebook both very popular
places to reach big audience numbers quickly.

You could also use platforms such as Twitch,
Periscope and YouTube to live stream. The key for beginners is reach; if you
have followers on Facebook already, it makes sense to use their in-built
function and directly reach your existing audience, so you’re broadcasting to
people other than just yourself.

How to Stream

If you decide to go live somewhere like
Facebook, then there are third-party options to help your broadcast. Sites such
as Streamyard and Be.Live make it incredibly easy to create professional-looking
live recordings whilst reaching multiple platforms. For instance, using their
packages you can broadcast to Facebook and YouTube at the same time, as well as
inviting guest on and managing them in a staging area.

With functionality around different graphics and
screen configurations, even the most inexperienced live streamer can create
impressive-looking broadcasts quickly and easily.

Backups

Promoting your live streams is hugely important
and it might be a while before your recordings catch on. Beginners might create
some strong content, but only generate an audience after five or even ten
broadcasts. Viewers may then want to discover previous content, which is why
we’d recommend backups

Some of the platforms mention in the last
section allow you to save your recordings externally. If they don’t, HP recommends using cloud
storage to save projects as
it is ideal for those who work from multiple devices. If your content does take
off and you need to access and publish your previous work, then a backup will
have served you well. It’s best to use a physical external source too, which is
standard backup procedure around the world.

Have Fun

The most important thing to do with live
streaming is to have fun. Nobody will interact with a dour stream, but if
you’re engaged and happy, then that will help capture viewers. Deliver content
that you don’t feel they can get elsewhere, whatever your chosen niche might
be, and make sure you keep trying new things and exploring new avenues. If one
platform doesn’t work for you, try another, but do keep trying.

Experimentation is all part of the experience
and you’ll find a routine or platform that works best for you, even if that
isn’t the first time around. Before you know it, you’ll be exploring your
chosen subject with a select audience and having a lot of fun at the same time.